Takefumi Sakata is a Japanese boxer in the flyweight division and a former WBA flyweight champion.
15 Facts About Takefumi Sakata
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Takefumi Sakata stayed out of the limelight for most of his career, even being used as Kameda's sparring partner, but finally won a world title in 2007, defeating Lorenzo Parra for the vacant WBA Flyweight title.
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Takefumi Sakata began boxing when he joined his school's amateur boxing team in his first year in high school.
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Takefumi Sakata quit after only a couple months, but returned to boxing in his senior year, when he entered a local boxing gym, run by the father of former WBA Middlweight champion Shinji Takehara.
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Takefumi Sakata moved to Tokyo during summer vacation, and entered the Kyoei boxing gym to begin serious training.
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Takefumi Sakata won his debut fight by 3rd-round TKO in 1998.
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Takefumi Sakata won the Japanese Flyweight title in 2001, and defended the title three times before losing by 10-round decision to Trash Nakanuma in 2002.
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Takefumi Sakata fought Nakanuma again in April, 2003, and won by decision, regaining his title.
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Takefumi Sakata defended the title two more times before returning it.
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On June 4,2004, Takefumi Sakata fought Lorenzo Parra for the WBA Flyweight title at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, but lost by 12-round decision.
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Takefumi Sakata marked five straight wins after his losses against Parra, and fought Roberto Vasquez in Paris, France, for the WBA Flyweight interim title on December 2,2006.
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On March 9,2007, Takefumi Sakata fought WBA Flyweight champion Lorenzo Parra for the third time, and became the champion by TKO in the 3rd round.
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Takefumi Sakata tried again two hours later, but was still 4 pounds overweight.
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Takefumi Sakata received an opportunity to take back the WBA 112-lb title on September 25,2010.
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Unfortunately for Takefumi Sakata, Kameda won the bout on all score cards.